Carlos Alcaraz Urges Tennis Organizers to Avoid Late-Night Match Endings
Carlos Alcaraz has voiced his concerns about tennis matches finishing too late, urging tournament organizers to reconsider scheduling that leads to early morning conclusions. His recent quarterfinal clash with Ben Shelton at the US Open wrapped up at 3:33 a.m., marking the latest finish ever recorded at the event.
Speaking to reporters in London just before the Laver Cup, Alcaraz said, "It is too much. They will need to make changes. I’m not saying matches should end by 3:30 a.m., but even finishing at midnight is already too late."
Growing Trend of Late Finishes at Grand Slams
Late-night endings have become more frequent in Grand Slam tournaments lately. Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner previously held the US Open record with a match finishing at 2:50 a.m. in 2022. The French Open witnessed a new high-water mark when Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti concluded their 2024 match at 3:06 a.m.
This year’s US Open also saw Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin start a match at 12:13 a.m., setting a new record for the latest match start time in the tournament's history.
The Toll on Players
Alcaraz described the physical challenges caused by such late finishes: "When a match ends at 3:30 in the morning, we leave the courts around 4:30, get back to the hotel, and don’t get to sleep until 6:30 or 7. This puts the player who finishes late at a disadvantage for the next round because they have less time to recover."
The US Open typically schedules one men's and one women's night session each day, starting shortly after 7 p.m. But during the recent quarterfinals, two day matches extended into long final-set tiebreaks, delaying the first night match until about 8:20 p.m. This domino effect resulted in the marathon match between Alcaraz and Shelton stretching into the early hours.
Organizers’ Response and Scheduling Challenges
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) did not respond to inquiries about scheduling changes. Meanwhile, USTA director Craig Tiley defended the current setup during the tournament, stating, "I hear complaints about matches finishing late, but no one offers any alternatives."
Other Grand Slam events face similar issues. The Australian Open has a comparable two-match night session format and has seen finishes later than Alcaraz’s match, including a record 4:34 a.m. finish between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis in 2008.
Roland-Garros introduced a night session in 2021 with a single match starting at 8:15 p.m., but it often schedules men’s matches exclusively in that slot, which has drawn criticism.
Only Wimbledon has avoided these extreme late finishes thanks to a local ordinance enforcing an 11 p.m. curfew.
Impact on Fans and Atmosphere
Alcaraz lamented the negative effect on attendance and atmosphere: "It’s a shame this kind of match doesn’t get seen by many because people have to sleep or work early. If the match started at 7 or 8 p.m., ending by 11 at the latest, the stadium would be full. Many missed out due to the late schedule."
